'Spotlight' wins best picture, Leo DiCaprio wins first Oscar at Academy Awards dominated by diversity controversy

Producer Michael Sugar accepts the Oscar for Best Picture for his film "Spotlight" with his fellow producers and cast at the 88th Academy Awards.

Stop the presses!

"Spotlight," the drama about the real-life Boston Globe investigative journalists who uncovered the Catholic Church's conspiracy to hide pedophile priests, upset a number of higher-profile contenders to be crowned Best Picture at Sunday night's Oscars.

Academy voters clearly had a warm spot in their hearts, though, for "The Revenant," awarding the saga of survival in the frozen tundra three awards - including a long overdue Best Actor statue for star Leonardo DiCaprio.

And the actor, who was winless in five previous nominations, used his first trip to the podium to draw attention to his personal cause - climate change.

"Making the Revenant was about man's relationship with the natural world," he told the audience of Hollywood luminaries. "Climate change is real it's happening right now. It's the most urgent threat facing our entire species."

MARIO ANZUONI/REUTERS
Leonardo DiCaprio accepts the Oscar for Best Actor for the movie "The Revenant."

"I thank you all, let us not take this planet for granted," he added. "I do not take tonight for granted."

Overshadowed by DiCaprio's win was a rare feat by the filmmaker behind the camera.
MARK RALSTON/AFP/GETTY IMAGES
Actress Brie Larson accepts her award for Best Actress for "Room."

Alejandro Iñárritu, who won last year for "Birdman," became the first filmmaker to win back-to-back Best Director awards since 1950. The Mexican-born helmer also provided a lone example of diversity in an Oscar year in which outrage reigned over the complete absence of actors of color among the nominees.

First-time winner Brie Larson was named Best Actress for her turn in "Room" as a sex slave struggling to give her son as normal a life as possible in captivity.

The futuristic, feminist car-chase saga "Mad Max: Fury Road" took the pole position at Sunday night's Oscars, winning six early awards.

The post-apocalyptic thrill ride took home statuettes for editing, production design, costume design, sound editing, sound mixing and makeup and hairstyling.

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Actress Alicia Vikander accepts the Best Supporting Actress award for 'The Danish Girl."

In a sucker punch that no one saw coming: Mark Rylance won Best Supporting Actor for playing the quiet Soviet secret agent in "Bridge of Spies," upsetting sentimental favorite Sylvester Stallone for reprising his role as Rocky Balboa in "Creed."

Alicia Vikander won Best Supporting Actress for her performance as the supportive wife of a pioneering transgender woman in "The Danish Girl."

In a show highlight, Vice President Joseph Biden made sure the scourge of date rape was ready for its close-up. He introduced Lady Gaga's performance of her Oscar-nominted song, "Til It Happens To You," accompanied by a chorus of dozens of rape survivors.

But the real early drama at Sunday night's Academy Awards didn't revolve around the winners themselves.

Amid the uproar over the lack of diversity in the Oscar nominations, all eyes were on host Chris Rock's opening monologue.

And the "Saturday Night Live" alum didn't disappoint.

"You realize if they nominated hosts, I wouldn't even get this job," Rock quipped. "You'd all be watching Neil Patrick Harris right now."